


Day 10 Pattern

by Mooseonthehalfshell



Series: Moose's Multifandom Inktober 2019 [10]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/M, Found Family, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Nicknames, family doesn't end with blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-12-09 01:55:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20986895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mooseonthehalfshell/pseuds/Mooseonthehalfshell
Summary: Partner/Follow up to Day 9 SwingAs Kolyat gets to know Shepard he realizes he's happy she is in both his and Thane's lives.





	Day 10 Pattern

**Author's Note:**

> I made up "a'hasha" idk fight me
> 
> HOOO BOY I am on a drell kick.  
Can't get enough of my lizard husband and my lizard stepson.  
I also JUST WANT THEM TO BE HAPPY!!! IS THAT S BAD Sometimes a family is The savior of the galaxy her adopted tank bred krogan son, a "former" assassin, and his son.... ya know and everyone else on the Normandy

During her "voluntary leave of absence” from the Navy, Thane had followed Shepard's pleading to give the cure Mordin had made for Kepral's syndrome a try. Shepard hadn't known Thane had tried it and that it was a resounding success until she ran into Thane and Kolyat at C-Sec. 

When Shepard asked Bailey to let Thane join her on the Normandy once more Bailey told her that both drell "would probably do more good with you than with me here". Shepard hadn't initially intended for Kolyat to come aboard as well but she could use all the help on the Normandy she could get. And it would probably be good for the both of them. 

They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Shepard had heard that a lot but never really witnessed it. Not until Kolyat joined them on the Normandy. Despite the outward differences between the two drell, and the fact that Thane hadn’t really been around for Kolyat when he was young, Shepard began to see the patterns in their behaviors that mirrored each other. 

It was all seemingly innocuous things at first. They took their tea the same, they both had a very reserved sense of humor, both deeply connected to the drell culture. Then Shepard, as well as other members of the crew noticed the almost habitual similarities between their ticks and body language. They both had a tendency to stand with their shoulders squared and hands clasped behind their backs, both fidgeted with the collars on their jackets, both tended to tilt their head slightly when talking about something less than physically tangible.

Shepard also noticed Kolyat’s attitude towards her was the exact same as Thane’s had been when she recruited him for the Collector mission; guarded respect. Which was as best Shepard could hope for seeing as the first time they had met Shepard had shown up with his estranged father, yelled at, almost shot, and punched him. As time went on Kolyat became more personable and even comfortable with her, he even began to confide in Shepard. He asked her advice on how to begin to broach difficult topics with Thane. Shepard was more than happy to help Kolyat and Thane to continue to heal their relationship and spent a considerable amount of time with them.

So when Shepard returned from a ground mission to the news that Kolyat had suffered a coughing fit she thought the poor boy had once again fallen into the pattern Thane had set. She unceremoniously burst into the med bay. The sight of Kolyat unconscious on one of the beds pulled Shepard’s heart into her throat.

Dr. Chakwas could read her like a book. “No, no, Commander.” She soothed. “It's not what you think. It's just a cold, poor boy’s taking after your bad example and not eating enough or getting enough sleep… some rest and maybe some antibiotics will have him fine in no time.” 

Though relieved Shepard still decided to write her report from med bay. 

When Kolyat woke up he was surprised to see Shepard sitting with his father at his bedside. 

Shepard noticed he was a wake and immediately popped out of her chair.

“Kolyat! You had me worried there.” She almost cooed, gently patting his cheek.

“I-I did?”

“Indeed,” Thane explained with a smile. “She heard you had a coughing fit and automatically assumed you had developed Kepral’s.”

Kolyat laughed. “No  _ a’hasha _ , just a cold. I’ll be perfectly okay.”

Shepard blinked, confused. Just like the first time Thane had called her  _ siha _ , Shepard assumed her translator glitched out. But before she had the chance to ask what it meant, Dr Chakwas shooed her and Thane out. 

From then on that's what Kolyat called her  _ a’hasha _ . And just like with Thane, Shepard just sort of rolled with it, she assumed if it had been offensive or mean Thane would have scolded Kolyat the first time. It wasn't until a few weeks later that she brought it up to Thane.

“What  _ does _ ‘ _ a’hasha _ ’ mean?”

Thane was pensive a moment.

“Hmm I guess there isn't a human equivalent.” He murmured closing his book. “It’s a little difficult to convey. As you know the drell Goddess of motherhood is Arashu… the drell word for mother is  _ arasha _ .  _ A’hasha _ is a term for someone who is like a mother, or a mother stand in. Most drell children who are adopted call their adoptive mother  _ a’hasha _ . It is a way of saying ‘while you may not have given birth to me, you are very important to me like a mother’. I admit I am relieved that he thinks of you that way… initially Kolyat was not very taken with the idea of me being involved with someone.”

Shepard bit her lip. “I’m not trying to replace Irikah… for either of you.”

Thane kissed her forehead. “We both know that, siha. But we both care for you. You’ve done things for us we could never thank you enough for. You set my soul free… you gave Kolyat the chance to find his again.”

Shepard couldn’t help but blush. Then giggle. 

“So when should we tell him he basically has a step brother that’s a krogan?”


End file.
